UK Clothing Sector: Safety

Baroness Young of Hornsey Excerpts

Monday 13th May 2013 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness Young of Hornsey]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that retailers operating in the United Kingdom clothing sector take a rigorous approach to ensuring that people working throughout their supply chains enjoy safe and secure working conditions.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Viscount Younger of Leckie)]

My Lords, the Bangladesh garment factory tragedies bring into sharp focus the challenges arising from blurred and multiple supply chains in retail and the protection and well-being of those who manufacture. BIS is working closely with DfID, the FCO, overseas Governments and companies to secure improvements in working conditions and invest in assessing risks. We are supporting voluntary initiatives and international principles to reform legislation and regulation.

[Baroness Young of Hornsey]

I thank the Minister for his response and for indicating that some action is beginning to take place. Does he agree that it is damaging for retailers in the UK to be associated with making profit on the backs of cheap labour working in dangerous conditions? Does he agree that the Government have a leadership role to play in working in partnership with retail outlets in order to ensure that their operational and business models are changed and can address the seriousness of this situation?

[Viscount Younger of Leckie]

I thank the noble Baroness for that. Indeed, it can be damaging for businesses. I know that many of them, including Primark, are already working extremely hard to help at the sharp end in Bangladesh in the aftermath of this terrible tragedy. Before I go on, can we not rejoice at the rescue of the seamstress a couple of days ago while remembering, of course, that 1,000 people died?

Many companies now have a corporate social responsibility department, and it is within that area that companies and businesses need to drive forward their responsibilities. From the Government’s perspective, in terms of reporting, we are bringing in from 1 October a mandatory report on human rights issues.